Pirate Bay Block Effectiveness Short-Lived

A drop in file-sharing following a court ordered block of the Pirate Bay was short-lived, data seen by the BBC suggests. A major UK internet service provider (ISP) said peer-to-peer (P2P) activity on its network returned to just below normal only a week after the measures were enforced earlier this year.

Critics had warned the ban would prove ineffective. But the BPI, the music industry trade body, has defended the action. Its chief executive Geoff Taylor told the BBC the group would continue to pursue similar action in future. “We’ll take further steps to deal with illegal sites that line their pockets by ripping off everyone who makes the music we enjoy.”

The ISP – which shared the data with the BBC on condition of anonymity – said P2P traffic had peaked in the days court proceedings were taking place, largely due to increased media coverage. Immediately after the ban was enforced on its network, the ISP said P2P activity had dropped by over 11% compared to average levels. “We saw a fall at the time of the block,” the source said, “made more dramatic by the increasing amount of such traffic in the weeks leading up to it. “But volumes are already pretty much back to where they were before.”

The firm stressed that the figures related to the volume of P2P traffic, not necessarily the number of users. This made it possible, it said, that “hardcore” file-sharers might have become more prolific since the ban while casual users have been discouraged. In addition, the data is not able to distinguish precisely what material is downloaded and from where – meaning users may be using sites other than The Pirate Bay to access files. However Loz Kaye, leader of the Pirate Party UK which has campaigned against the ban, said a renewal in sharing of copyrighted files was “inevitable”.